Assisted conception (and the bits in between!) - part 4 - all welcome

[mummycat1]

Starting new thread with massive congratulations to Nanoo I reckon the old man can wait till he gets home! But of course - it's up to you really xxx

Hi Folks

By way of an introduction here is my story so far and apologies that it is so long !

Two years ago aged 38 I conceived my DS through IUI using tamoxifen. DH and I had been trying for two years previously and had extensive tests confirming that we were both 'normal' with no issues identified. We went to a private clinic as I didn't want IVF and on our third attempt we were successful :-) DS was born happy and healthy and has just celebrated his first birthday.

Due to my advancing years as soon as I stopped breast feeding at six months we started trying again and after 4 months decided to go back to the clinic. Again, more tests confirmed that I still bhad time to give IUI a go and we had our first cycle of treatment, again using tamoxifen this month.

Well, I'm feeling very confused now and please bear with me as this is going to sound rather complicated. We were told to test last Saturday (2 weeks after the IUI)which I did using an access diagnostics 25miu 'dip into a sample' test. It was negative. As I still hadn't had my period I tested again on Tuesday using an Access Diagnostics 10miu 'dip into a sample' test. This was positive but as the line was fainter than the control line I decided that I would leave it a while and try again as I thought is was inconclusive. Last night I decided to test again, this time using a Tesco 'pee on the stick' it was slow to develop but it was postive. I did another - it was the same. I then tested again using the orginal 25mui 'dip' test and it was negative. On the packet of these it specifically says that the result is only positive if the line is as dark or darker than the control line but it was fainter. I tested again this morning - same thing. I should say that the 25mui tests all came in a batch of ten. Could I have a duff batch ?

So am I pregnant or not, or am I pregnant but there is something wrong ?

All the other signs say I am - needing to pee more frequently, bloated abdomen slightly fuller boobs and am now on day 38 of my cycle which has only been longer than this on one occasion in four years of trying - my first cycle post breast feeding.

I guess the other thing making me doubt is that what are the chances of conceiving on the first IUI attempt aged 40 ?!

I just don't know what to think but can't think of anything else right now and it's driving me nuts, wondering if I am, worrying that there is a problem - what do you think ?

Thanks everso

PS I will post some of this on an assisted conception thread too

Afternoon. Thankyou all for your best wishes. It all went well this morning. Anaesthetic was fine, (don't worry sooty - you didn't make me any more nervous, I was like that anyway!). It was all done so quickly I can hardly believe it. I remember a funny taste as they injected the anaesthetic and then I was being woken up from a dream. They got 5 eggs which is more than I had allowed myself to dream of! DH and DSs had a nice cooked breakfast in the hospital restaurant and then went to a local wildlife centre. They had a nice morning and were really good so all in all it was successful. Came home after lunch and feel a bit sore and pretty tired. Just relaxing with cup of tea and will be having an early night after lounging on the sofa all evening. Am quite nervous for my little eggs. Hoping for at least one fertilised when we get the call tomorrow.

sooty - Sorry to hear you are down a follicle. Fingers crossed for you though. You may still be lucky yet. Hope your students are easy going after EC. You will certainly have deserved to put your feet up when you get home. Make sure you yake it easy then. If all that acupuncture and alcohol avoidance has made no difference you can only blame mother nature for the way you respond. I can understand how you can feel relieved.

mummycat - 54!!!! Hope you are feeling ok. Rest sounds like a good idea to me. Glad to hear there some reasonable sized follies though so keeping my fingers crossed for you on Monday. Sorry to hear you are having a tough time with other stresses too. Sounds like you really needed to let go and acupuncturist bore the brunt of it. I don't blame you at all, you have not had an easy week. Just go easy on yourself over the weekend.

beaufies - Welcome. I'm not really sure to be honest. I always understood that false postives hardly ever happen with pregnancy tests. What about trying a first response one? I think though if it were me I would ring the clinic. They could do a blood test which might give you a better idea. Although as it's the weekend they may not be able to. How fantastic would that be if you managed it first go? Here's hoping.

GW

It's ICSI for us lottie - DH's little swimmers need serious satnav!

Beaufies time for a blood test. Hope it was cycle 1 this time!

Gingerwine FIVE is completely wonderful! Congrats!!! Now just to see how many fertilized... you will know very soon. Very exciting!

Mummycat oh you poor woman, you're just on the edge with everything concerned. I know how it is when people want to tell you that AC is not "good" for you, it's a terrible heartache because for us, we've already tried the "completely natural" route - usually for years before getting to this point. So sorry about your acupuncturist, did he apologize? 5-6 follicles in the end is really good, (the 54 is just mind boggling)are you planning day 3 transfer or going to blasts? Just a few more days and you will feel much less bloated. My doc takes all out (immature or not) so there is no chance for later ov and brings greater comfort from the bloating - will yours do that with all the follies? Monday will soon be here! YAY!!!

nanoo still haven't told DH??? yay for your BFP - I'm still chuffed about it!

Oh and good news for me: I lost another pound! yay!!!

Isle you are sounding happy again! Yes my doc will "asperate" them all - which means get them all out, but I think OHSS means that the follicles might fill with water again.

Thanks LL - if it looks like OHSS on Monday when they do my EC, then I will have to go for FET at a later date when my body has calmed down.

Well done Gingerwine enjoy pampering yourself. Sounds like it all went smoothly with your boys too.

Beaufies sounds like you already have some sound advice from the other girls on here - more tests and speak to clinic - good luck

Nurse rang and said do not take any more stims, just down regging stuff. I also have to go in for another scan and blood test tommorow morning. EC will possibly be Monday morning which means that I will need to do my HCG jab tomorrow evening at a certain time; however we are going out to see Simon Amstel so that could prove difficult interesting!!

Oh that seems sensible Mummycat - no more stims. Good luck with the HCG jab - I always feel good doing that part as it feels that finally I'm moving closer to the goal. Has your DH come around to being more supportive? What's wrong with these guys (sorry, isle, I know yours is v kind and supportive) - mine however, anyone would think he's been the one injecting hormones! I haven't told him yet - would rather do it to his face on Wed (assuming it's still positive by then!). I'm wondering if he might have guessed though.

Gingerwine, that's great it's all gone so well :-) Will be sending your little eggs lots of thought waves to get fertilising tonight.

Where are you Isle - what date will FET be? Great to hear you a little more positive - keep that going :-)

So sorry Sooty that you're down a follicle. But it only takes one, so don't give up. When are you scheduled for EC?

PS anyone else read the Guardian article today on IVF lab errors. Like we don't have enough to worry about!!!

Morning. Good news here. 4 fertilised and ET is set for Monday morning. Your thought waves worked nanoo! Still a bit sore so a quietish day here. Will check in later.

Gingerwine - that's wonderful - 4!!! Great news. Get lots of rest all weekend. Enjoy.

I'm feeling rubbish today - have got bad period pains. Agh. Please stick.

Excellent news Gingerwine and how exciting that they are going back in on Monday.

nanoo I had those pains too with DD so try not to worry.

I had another scan this am and there are loads of good sized follies in there now. I can't believe how muh they have grown over night. They were cautious about how to proceed, but have decided that I will go for EC on Mon and then decide whether it is feasible to put them back in or not. HCG jab tonight at 11pm - I never stay up that late!

Hi Girls, just popping up to say
WHOO WHOOO WHOOOO Nanoo !!!! Fantastic news! Chuffed to bits for you and 17 bags of sticky dust are on their way to you by stork.

Also great news Gingerwine on the fertilised follies, you're doing everything perfectly, so fingers crossed for ET on Monday.

MamaChris I was so shocked to see what you had to go through. I hope you're feeling better and still taking the positive message from it.

Mummycat wow, your consultant sounds like he might need a poke in the eye, but I'm glad to hear you're still all set for EC. Fingers xed for a good number of mature little eggies.

LL is there any news on whether you might be allowed out before the babies are born, or are they telling you to stay put? You sound like you're bearing up amazingly well.

Sooty I'm sending loads of positive vibes to your follies - just need one just need one just need one (to the tune of 'ere we go 'ere we go 'ere we go)...

Isle well done on losing the pound (I seem to have gone into reverse with yet another 'sod you, crap body' backlash, so particularly impressed!). And may I say how nice it is to have our lovely positive Isle back - not that you should ever pretend to be happy for us, but a sad Islegrin means something's very wrong with the world...

I'm still vaguely thinking about options and edging closer to doner eggs, but not very motivated to put my head back in the AC vice. I'll get there!

Hi Bumpless - great to hear from you, and thank you for being so lovely. I know what you mean about getting back onto the ac rollercoaster - it's so nice not to be slave to it for while. Good to hear you're thinking about donor eggs - I have a friend in exactly that position who is considering going to the US (there's a clinic there that does some kind of no-win-no-fee type deal - I may have misunderstood it, but she's looking into it).

Good luck tomorrow gingerwine with EC - we'll all be thinking of you.

Bet is was worth staying up til 11 mummycat for that feeling of achievement. It's downhill from here - so much of the hard work is done :-)

Things are feeling very dodgy inside me today - any very slight pg feelings I had, are gone. I've even started liking tea again. Am going to Boots this avo to buy another test. Can't help feeling it's related to those tummy cramps yesterday. Keep thinking of duplo's fading line that came back again - maybe that's all that's happening....fingers crossed (and sorry to sound silly and paranoid, it's happened before!)

nanoo totally understandable to be nervous at this stage - if a test will ease your mind, buy a few to have on hand!

mummycat hope HCG went well, and will be thinking of you tomorrow for EC! I'm glad everyone will be looking after you, how is DH doing now?

gingerwine your four embies are waiting and growing for tomorrow! If all four are still healthy how many will you have transfered or frozen?

LL I hope you get out of hospital soon, for a little time at your new home before the twins come!

Waves to all!!!

Hi. Getting increasingly nervous about ET tomorrow. Have managed to convince myself that they will all have stopped dividing and there won't be anything to put back. Silly me I know. I have been wondering if they are ok all weekend. It's amazing how protective I feel about them. Both me and DH are also just really pleased that we have fertilised some eggs as it's further than we've ever got before!

Islegrin - If all goes well we will have 2 transferred tomorrow. We're a bit scared of twins but not enough to stop us trying to increase our chances of success if you see what I mean. Twins would be hard work but we would cope.

I know people have asked before but how active (or inactive) should I be after ET. My clinic says no strenuous activity and rest as much as possible but Zita West says complete bed rest for 3 days. Well that's just impossible! I can rest during school hours and evenings but generally have to do school runs and activities after school which is not that restful! My DH is aiming to come home as early as he can but that makes it hard for him at work and I don't want to add to his stress. Bless him - I found him studying Zita West earlier worrying if we had enough good protein sources for me to eat over the next few days! He has worked really hard doing as much tidying and cleaning as possible this weekend so that I won't be tempted during the 2WW. Sorry that was a bit rambly but how much does everyone do post ET?

nanoo - Sorry you are having a worrying time. Have you tested? Also have you said anything to your DH? I know you wanted to wait til he got back and I quite understand that but I was just thinking it is easier to cope with anxious times if you can share your fears. (((Hugs)))

Bumpless - Lovely to hear from you. You sound really together and I'm glad you are able to start thinking of donor eggs. Having just done my first cycle of stims and EC I would be in no hurry to rush back either though. Still, keep thinking, this could be the way for you.

Mummycat - I'm so excited for you tomorrow. Good luck with EC.

Sooty - How's things? Are you going for EC soon? For some reason I have Tuesday in my head.

Hi lottie - How's things in Toblerone land? Any sign of being allowed out?

gingerwine could you get your DH to talk to my DP? I can't believe that he even THOUGHT about the cleaning thing, let alone did it . . . my DP is beyond reproach in intentions, but he's not very thoughtful . .

Mummycat 11pm, that's early. Once I had to do it at 2am (I set an alarm). Good luck today,and I am with Lottie about Zen not being a lying down thing . . . good luck with the transfer.

Good to hear from you Bumpless, are you lonely over there on your new thread . . . liked your song/mantra, hopefully it will get me through the next week . . .

Hang in there Nanoo, stick, stick, stick.

Had probably my last scan today, my one follicle is now 16mm which is probably a tuesday trigger (haven't been called back yet by Dr). That should mean a Thursday pickup which will get me home safe with the teaching (which is Wednesday). Am feeling qutie calm about it all, knowing there's a chance, but also knowing it's very small. It feels more like a normal cycle than a IVF cycle, knowing there's still a chance but having no expectations. I guess that will change if we actually get to transfer . . .

Sorry to hear you are going to be in medical prison for so long LL Did you check out Unit One? I think there's 4 series so if you get addicted that's quite a few hours of distraction . . .

Checking in to let you guys know how this morning went. All 4 of our embies made it to this morning. The best two (an eight cell grade 1-2 and a six cell grade 1-2) have gone back inside. The other two were not good enough to freeze sadly so we said goodbye to them. You were right lottie it was a doddle. I did have a slightly too full bladder and had to go and have a quick wee before (I was terrified of weeing all over the DR!). Back home now and watching TV and making christmas lists. In my head I am pregnant even if it only lasts 2 weeks!

Sooty I'll send my DH round shall I. He is very sweet and very good at looking after me. Although on Friday afternoon he was complaining of how tired he was, before he remembered it was me that had had a general that morning! Good news about your follie. It only takes one as you know. Glad the timing seems to be working out. It is so much easier to deal with all this when you know when things are going to happen and you can plan your life. All the best with your last few injections.

Nanoo - Hope things are ok.

Lottie - A whole 15 minutes! Wow! Steady on. At least there is some vague talk of release. It would be nice if you could get to do a little nesting at your new home. Hope you manage to stay distracted. If you are bored of TV do you like games consoles? I have planned a few games on my DC's Nintendo DS over the next two weeks. It's sad I know! I have got brain training though so it's sort of educational!! I am trying to be all Zen and calm generally! Not lying down all the time but just taking things easy.

Mummycat - Hope all going ok. Will look in later to see if there is news.

Hello all, I'm really drowsy and fuggy headed still. EC went well - they got 34 eggs out! But I had a bit of a reaction to the anasthetic and was sick after I woke up. I have to go in on Wed for some tests. If I'm ok, I can have ET, if not then I will have to wait 3 MONTHS before I can go to FET. Was told before that we would try to go to blast, but then today they said that they don't do that unless you are over 35 (I'm 34 and a half) as the odds are the same. My oestrogen level is over 1800 so things don't look good for Wed, but fingers crossed. My tummy is very sore - worse than normal apparently due to so many follies.

LL 15 minutes doesn't seem long, but it's a start. I'm sure you'll appreaciate the fresh air and perhaps you will be alowed to increase this as the days go by.

Well done again GW you have made it all sound so easy. I'm hoping so hard now for you.

Stay strong nanoo lots and lots of baby glue to you xx

Sooty 2am! that's so mean! sending best wishes to you for Thursday. Good luck!

Isle DH still being a burk. He had a fabulous sperm sample though - the best he's ever had - he has always had an above average amount of defunct ones and today he had an above average count and motility! Hope they picked up the right sample
When do you have FET?

Right - I'm off to drink more water now as it should help stop the dreaded OHSS

Just a quick one. Wow! mummycat - That's an amazing number of eggs. Chances are surely pretty high of some good quality ones there. Add that to your DH's sample and I think you have done amazingly well. Just think where you were a week ago.
Sorry to hear the anaesthetic made you sick. Take it really easy now won't you. Make sure you take some paracetamol for your pain and I hope you feel better in the morming. I can't quite understand how the options for your ET are either Wednesday or 3 months time! That's quite a difference. Still there is no point going ahead if your body is not recovered enough. You want the best possible chance even if there is a wait. I don't know anyone who has had OHSS so have no idea if your Drs advice is standard or not.
I have everything crossed for good news in the morning. Well done. You have had a really tough ride so far.

Fantastic news for both gingerwine and mummycat congrats on where you are so far... best is yet to come! LOL at the sperm sample - my DH had his best ever on day of EC, so it's bound to help.

Well I had my last blood test and scan today and they think the lining is just a bit too thin, so they are considering whether or not to postpone me a couple of days. I didn't take the news very well - but held it in until after I left their office. Honestly, I just don't have the patience and sense of humor about these things that I once had. I know, I know, they are trying to give us the best shot at pg, so it's not a big deal, but I am angry that they didn't do something about this after my blood levels on Friday were lower than expected. (120 and they wanted 300) now they want 400 - still awaiting today's results. So it's looking like ET on Sunday rather than Friday. Must go pick up estrogen prescription and then off to the airport to pick up mom!

mummycat btw my estrogen levels from EC were 3300! (I had 26 eggs collected, but about 10 were immature) So I'm suprised at how low yours are for all of those follies you had! I am definitely hoping you can move to ET this week and not 3 months from now!!! I thought it was a long wait for the 6 weeks I've just been through! hpmf!

Thanks for the advice Ladies.

Just to update you I went out on Friday and bought a Clear Blue digital test which also had an indicator of date conceived as I thought this would give me an indication of whether HCG levels were where they should be.

It was positive and the date conceived indicator was bang on I still feel pregnant ie have symptoms and am now on day 40 so am convinced

It will obviously be a very short stay for me on this thread and I just want to wish you all the luck in the world and to say to try and stay positive. I also wanted to pass on a couple of tips. For this and my first pregnancy I religiously followed the advice of Foresight www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/

For this and my successful conception last time I also listened to a CD every day for the preceding month. This CD gives subliminal messages about fertility and conception with the sounds of the sea over the top. It is very relaxing and can be found here www.innertalk.co.uk/acatalog/Fertility.html

I know there is an element of luck but I also think that it helps to know that you have done everything you can. I hope these things can help some of you get your BFPs

Good Luck xx